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Rajasthan will soon announce an agriculture policy that will focus on enhancing farm output through efficient use of water and renewable sources, such as solar energy. The state has invited public comments on the draft of the proposed policy that envisages doubling farm output in the arid state over the next decade.
“We expect to finalise the agriculture policy soon,” said Mr J.C. Mohanty, Rajasthan's Principal Secretary for Agriculture. He was speaking on the sidelines of FarmTech 2011, an agriculture trade and technology fair in Jaipur organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Rajasthan government.
Dryland farming
The policy also envisages promoting animal husbandry and horticulture among others, driving the concept of integrated approach for dryland farming in the State.
The arid State is seeking to achieve both food and fodder security by encouraging farmers to adopt a technology-based approach toward farming, Mr Mohanty said at the inauguration of FarmTech.
Rajasthan, which accounts for a tenth of the country's total land mass, trails its neighbours such as Haryana and Madhya Pradesh in terms of agri-yields. It is trying to catch up with other states. The state is trying to promote efficient water management practices by popularising the concept of micro irrigation and water conservation, Mr Mohanty said.
“As part of a pilot project, we are subsidising the installation of solar energy-based pumpsets at 500 locations in the interiors of the State,” Mr Mohanty added.
Farmtech expo
About 100 agri-input and farm equipment makers such as John Deere, GEA Farm Technologies and Pioneer Seeds are showcasing their products to Rajasthan farmers at the four-day event.
The State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Babulal Nagar, said the Government had enhanced assistance for promoting micro irrigation by raising the subsidy component from 70 per cent to 90 per cent.
He said the State government had also compensated farmers to an extent of Rs 1,700 crore for crop losses last year.
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